Touro Synagogue National Historic Site
About this property
The Touro Synagogue is a synagogue built in 1763 in Newport, Rhode Island. The building has been occupied by several different congregations over the years. The current occupant is known as Congregation Ahavath Israel (Hebrew: ק״ק אהבת ישראל). As the only surviving synagogue building in the U.S. dating to the colonial era, it is the oldest synagogue building still standing in the United States and North America. In 1946, it was declared a National Historic Site. Touro Synagogue represents a profound symbol of religious freedom, a cornerstone of Rhode Island's founding principles under Roger Williams. Rhode Island was established as a haven for those seeking freedom of conscience, and the synagogue's existence is a testament to the colony's early commitment to religious tolerance. The first congregation was composed of Sephardic Jews, believed to have migrated from the West Indies, where they had been part of the thriving trade networks connecting Dutch and English colonies. They followed the Spanish and Portuguese Jewish liturgy and customs, preserving their distinct cultural and religious heritage. Amid the upheaval of the late 18th century, when threats of war loomed, the congregation entrusted the synagogue's deed and Torah scrolls to New York's Congregation Shearith Israel for safekeeping. Over time, the demographic shifted, and by the late 19th century, the congregation became predominantly Ashkenazi, reflecting the broader changes in Jewish immigration patterns to the United States. In recent years, Touro Synagogue became the subject of a legal dispute over its ownership. In 2012, the Newport congregation sought to sell artifacts to finance the building's restoration, leading to a court case with Congregation Shearith Israel. In 2017, the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit ruled in favor of the New York congregation, a decision that was left standing when the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case.
Location
Categories
Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Everything a full report reveals about Touro Synagogue National Historic Site
This page lists Touro Synagogue National Historic Site. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Questions about this property
When was Touro Synagogue National Historic Site listed on the National Register?
Touro Synagogue National Historic Site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 14, 1966.
What type of historic resource is Touro Synagogue National Historic Site?
Touro Synagogue National Historic Site is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Touro Synagogue National Historic Site?
The period of significance for Touro Synagogue National Historic Site is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near Touro Synagogue National Historic Site?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Touro Synagogue National Historic Site will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
More in Newport County
Historic places, battles, and census history across Newport County.
Explore NewportCounty ›More historic places in Rhode Island
Browse all historic places in Rhode Island.
View Rhode Islandhistoric sites ›Rhode Island history
Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.
Rhode Islandhistory ›Research the history near this site
An Aubrey US report for an address near Touro Synagogue National Historic Site will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.